Gdańsk’s MKS Atleta Hall was the stage for the 30th Waldemar Malak Memorial, held in honor of Poland’s 1992 Olympic bronze medalist. The anniversary edition brought together leading weightlifters from Armenia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Poland, with top European Weightlifting Federation officials also in attendance.
Notable guests included EWF President Dr. Astrit Hassani, General Secretary Dr. Milan Mihajlović, First Vice President Tina Beiter, and board members Dušan Kovač and Tomáš Chovanec. The Polish Weightlifting Federation was represented by President Zdzisław Zołopa, Vice-President Mariusz Jędra, and tournament director Lech Łabudda, whose hospitality, alongside the Atleta club, earned high praise. Newly elected PZPC General Secretary Bartłomiej Socha was also present.
During the event, the EWF leadership also discussed with the Polish Federation about forthcoming significant topics:
- The 100th Anniversary of the Polish Weightlifting Federation, to be celebrated in December 2025.
- The 2026 European Junior & U23 Championships, scheduled for September in Lublin, Poland.
The competition was topped by Armenia, with its athletes claiming both first and second place.
1. Davit Hovhannisyan (ARM) – 365 kg (164 + 201) – 431.143 pts
2. Rafik Harutyunyan (ARM) – 352 kg (160 + 192) – 430.478 pts
3. Ritvars Suharevs (LAT) – 326 kg (145 + 181) – 408.351 pts
4. Armandas Mezinskas (LAT) – 339 kg (151 + 188) – 404.900 pts
5. Konrad Olazuga (POL) – 301 kg (135 + 166) – 402.384 pts
6. Josef Kolar (CZE) – 346 kg (154 + 192) – 385.427 pts
7. Oskar Ołubek (POL) – 305 kg (135 + 170) – 384.192 pts
8. Deivydas Barkus (LTU) – 354 kg (163 + 191) – 366.691 pts
9. Neilas Gineikis (LTU) – 327 kg (151 + 176) – 366.521 pts
10. Viktor Ostrovsky (SVK) – 295 kg (134 + 161) – 358.701 pts
11. Dominik Sladek (CZE) – 333 kg (146 + 187) – 352.814 pts
12. Jakub Orłowski (POL) – 258 kg (118 + 140) – 351.383 pts
13. Filip Pagacik (SVK) – 300 kg (135 + 165) – 351.056 pts
A prize pool of €10,000, secured through the efforts of club president Lech Łabudda, underscored the stature of the Waldemar Malak Memorial. Over three decades, the event has grown into one of Europe’s leading international tournaments, balancing elite competition with commemoration. This year’s edition once again confirmed Gdańsk’s place among the continent’s key weightlifting venues.
